Item 7 is the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel and Restrictions) (Amendment) (No. 2) (Wales) Regulations 2020. It's really exciting. I call on the Minister for Health and Social Services—Vaughan Gething.

Motion NDM7484 Rebecca Evans

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 27.5:

1. Approves The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel and Restrictions) (Amendment) (No. 2) (Wales) Regulations 2020 laid in the Table Office on 13 November 2020.

Motion moved. 

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I move the motion before us. The regulations before us today provide that passenger planes and ships travelling directly from Denmark, and accompanied freight, will no longer be able to land or dock at Welsh ports. They came into force on Saturday 14 November. The regulations follow the urgent action that had been taken across the UK by all four Governments following reports from health authorities in Denmark that outbreaks of a new variant of COVID had been found in mink farms, with some human transmission events.

Previous amendments to the travel restrictions introduced restrictions on Denmark. From 7 November, anyone arriving in the UK from Denmark overnight was required to isolate for 14 days. This applied to individuals and their households too. This coincided with the UK Government's implementation of immigration powers. That means that all non-British national or resident travellers who have been in, or transited through, Denmark in the last 14 days have been denied entry into the UK. These were precautionary measures based on early evidence from health authorities in Denmark. By taking action, we aim to prevent risk to Wales and the UK from this new strain of COVID. Public Health Wales has been contacting Welsh residents who have been in Denmark, to explain that we will require them and their households to isolate as an extra precautionary measure.

Clearly, the situation in Denmark remains an evolving situation that we will continue to closely monitor, and, of course, we'll work with other Governments within the UK and Europe as we do so. The Senedd has not previously debated amendments to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (Wales) Regulations 2020, which are usually made under the negative procedure. Because these regulations amend both the international travel restrictions and the separate and more general Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 4) (Wales) Regulations 2020, they are, in this instance, subject to the affirmative procedure.

There have been encouraging signs that the firebreak in Wales has worked, leading to a sharp fall in the numbers of positive cases. This is particularly clear in areas of high incidence such as Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil. It has also seen a levelling off and potential fall in hospital admissions. However, the situation in Wales remains very serious. As the First Minister set out last week, following our review of the regulations, it is too early to ease any of the restrictions. This is in keeping with the careful and gradual approach that we have always taken. It is worth reflecting, when doing so, on the recent rises in new positive cases over the last few days. The regulations here in Wales following the firebreak are designed to be clear, stable and simple to understand. We are therefore not making substantial changes at this time.

As we approach the December festive period, families and loved ones will naturally wish to be together. Members will be aware that the Welsh Government is engaging with other UK administrations to seek a joined-up approach to planning for the festive period. The First Minister is meeting this afternoon, if not as we speak, as part of a COBRA meeting to discuss what might be possible across all four nations over the Christmas period. And obviously I can't pre-empt the outcome of those conversations. 

As I set out in the Welsh Government conference yesterday, adopting a common approach across the UK may unfortunately still require some tightening of restrictions in Wales in the weeks leading up to the festive period. This might be the only way we can achieve the headroom necessary to provide for the extra freedoms that many of us hope to enjoy over a limited festive period. I should stress that no decision on any new restrictions has yet been made. The law in Wales requires that the restrictions must be reviewed again by 3 December. As part of that review, I expect us to consider whether additional requirements in Wales are necessary, and this will include the new tier arrangements in England and Scotland, as, indeed, raised during First Minister's questions by the leader of the opposition earlier today.

I'm sure that, like me, Members will be encouraged by the positive news on the development of vaccines, with the further news yesterday of the Oxford vaccine. I would, though, again remind everyone that a vaccine is not a magic bullet. Coronavirus is still with us. It is still highly infectious, and still likely to cause major harm in the months ahead, including, I'm afraid, a further loss of life. The restrictions are sadly still very necessary. We are months away from the realistic prospect of population coverage with a combination of vaccines. We all need to think about what we should do to take care of ourselves and each other. Once again, though, I would like to express my thanks to people in every part of Wales for their continued efforts, at some cost to all of us, to help keep Wales safe. I ask Members to support the motion before us.

Thank you. I now call on the Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Consitution Committee, Mick Antoniw.

Thank you, Dirpwy Lywydd. Being half Danish, I have a particular interest in this particular set of regulations. We reported as a committee on these regulations yesterday. As Members will know, they came into force at 4 a.m. on Saturday 14 November 2020. As the Minister has explained, the regulations amend the original coronavirus, international travel and restrictions regulations, including by adding a new measure prohibiting aircraft and maritime vessels whose last departure point was in Denmark from arriving in Wales. This restriction is subject to limited exceptions.

The regulations also amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 4) (Wales) Regulations, as the Minister has mentioned. We as a committee identified one technical reporting point regarding a difference between the English and Welsh texts as to the meaning of 'arrive in Wales' as regards a vessel coming directly from Denmark. We also identified three merits points. The first point notes the justification for any political interference with human rights, and the second that there has been no formal consultation on these regulations. Our final reporting point welcomes the fact that these regulations correct issues in the No. 4 regulations and the original coronavirus, international travel and restrictions regulations that our committee raised in previous reports. Thank you, Llywydd.

We'll be supporting the regulations that are tabled this afternoon. I'd just seek two points of clarification from the Minister, if I may. On the Denmark part of the regulations that have been moved by the Government, can the Minister, whilst he did give us an update to a point, indicate is there any knowledge about the transmission rate outside of Denmark? I notice that there's press speculation that has picked up the new variant of the COVID infection as now appearing in other countries in Europe.

I do not think I've heard of any transmission within the United Kingdom, or, indeed, Wales, but it would be helpful to understand. Can the Minister confirm that that is the case, and, in particular, the regular dialogue that officials from Public Health Wales and the Danish authorities are having to make sure that that information is shared? Because, again, as I understand it, this outbreak in Denmark has led to Government resignations as well, so, the update he gave us last week of a good relationship was pleasing to hear, but there are obviously some political considerations domestically in Denmark, and we must make sure that those corridors of communication are maintained.

Secondly, when it comes to the international regulations on travel restrictions that have been placed on returning visitors from Greece, today we've had the news about possible testing—the ability to test on return that would shorten the isolation period. Is the Minister in a position to confirm whether such testing opportunities will be available here at points of entry for Wales, or is this just an England-only initiative at the moment and potentially could become available here in Wales?

We too will be supporting these regulations today. The situation in Denmark is a cause for concern, and it's sensible to take steps to safeguard the public in Wales given those developments. These regulations also take a number of nations off the list of exempt countries and do add others to that list. That tells us, of course, that the story of the virus is one that continues to be dynamic across the globe, and that reminds us that things are by no means over.

It's dynamic here in Wales too, and I will make a few comments on that. Yes, we did have the firebreak lockdown and I and fellow Members of Plaid Cymru had called for that. It was time for that step to be taken. But we can see that there are concerning signs in many parts of Wales, if truth be told, in terms of how the pattern of the virus is developing. And I will say here that we are willing to work with Government on new regulations that may need to be introduced, and those regulations should have an emphasis on support.

We discussed here in the Senedd last Wednesday afternoon the importance of supporting people to help communities to help themselves to manage the virus. We heard at the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee last week how important it is to support communities and to support individuals to self-isolate, as one of the main tools in the fight against this virus. So, let us look particularly at those areas of Wales where the virus is increasing and see how we can seek to change behaviour, to change people's habits, in fact, by supporting them and helping them. There are far too few people, not just in Wales, but in these isles, who can't do what is necessary in order to follow strict self-isolation. Other nations are far more effective in getting people to self-isolate, and the reason for that is that there is more support available—not just financial support, as we've emphasised, but also practical support and emotional support too, so that people can make the right decisions.

I encourage the Government to consider those kinds of steps in Wales over the next few weeks—to think of them as support, rather than restrictions. Everyone's had enough of restrictions. But there are areas that need more help than others, and we are willing to support the Government if they will consider that as we move to the next phase.

Thank you. I have nobody who has requested to make an intervention. Therefore, I call on the Minister for Health and Social Services to reply to the debate.

Thank you, and thank you to Members for their comments. I'm not half Danish, unlike the Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee, but I do have family in Denmark—I have a brother, a sister in-law and two nephews. I don't think that that materially affects my decision making in this regard, particularly as these are additional restrictions that we're debating. I should also say the original restrictions were signed off after 3 a.m. in the morning, before coming into force at 4 a.m. That was an early morning or a late night for myself, but also I want to thank officials, who I don't think are always appreciated, who are up til very late in the evening, working through the detail of the regulations and transmitting the genuinely very fast-moving emergency measures that we had to take, at some cost to themselves and their families for working up to that point in time.

In terms of the questions from Andrew R.T. Davies and some of the points, well, we're not clear about the other variant in other European countries, because other European countries do have some commercial mink farming. We're not sure if there's transmission from Denmark or novel variants in other countries. We're meeting, again, across other UK administrations on Thursday, when I expect to get an update. I'll also have a conversation with our own chief medical officer in advance of that, and, as we have a more developed picture, we'll continue to update. But this is, again—for all the difference at various points in time between the four Governments in the UK during the pandemic, this is an area where there is genuine and open conversation between the Governments and a sharing of information and evidence, and, as soon we have another proper update, I'll be happy to provide that to Members, including, if it's outside of Plenary time, then to do so in a written statement.

We are in the position, though, that we still have very good relationships with not just the Danish Government but with the Danish healthcare system, and there have been no concerns raised with me about the level of co-operation and information sharing from Denmark. We do, though, expect, on the second point that the Member asked—it's not strictly part of the regulations for us today, but, about the international travel arrangements that the transport Secretary's announced for England today, we've not ruled out doing something similar. However, we want to be able to understand more of the detailed information that apparently underpins the choice made by Ministers for England. So, I'm pleased to say that they've agreed to share that information and work with our own chief medical officer and our technical advisory cell to give advice to Welsh Ministers. Given that implementation within England isn't until the middle of December, we may be able to move at a similar point in time, if we choose to do so, but, as I say, we'll get those papers, we'll have that advice from our technical advisory cell, and then, in the normal course of events, we'd expect to not just be able to make a decision but also to publish a summary of that advice in the regular technical advisory cell publications that come out each week.

I think that moves into the points made by Rhun ap Iorwerth about supporting people and self-isolation in particular. SAGE papers were referenced in last week's technical advisory cell report, and that talks again not just about financial support, which there is some already in place for, but also about the non-financial support and the broader point about encouraging people to do the right thing for other people as well as themselves. So, there's a challenge here in messaging, reinforcing why it's the right thing to do, and supporting people to do so. From the comprehensive spending review tomorrow, we'll hear where we are in terms of whether there is to be any additional resource for the Government here to use, and, if so, at what point.

We do, though, already have regular support calls, which are a feature of our test, trace and protect service. I've had constituents, and people from across Wales outside my constituency, contact me to say how useful they've found those regular support calls from the test, trace and protect service to see how they are and how they're coping in the isolation they would need to undertake following a period of isolation, either as an index case or, indeed, as a contact. So, there's more that we would of course want to learn from other parts of the UK, to think about the advice that we get, and to practically help people to do the right thing. This is still very much part of doing the right thing to take care of ourselves and each other. I want to thank all Members for their contributions today and ask that Members continue to support the regulations to help keep Wales safe. Many thanks.

Thank you. The proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? No. Therefore, the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

We will now suspend proceedings to allow changeovers in the Chamber. If you're leaving the Chamber, please do so promptly, and the bell will be rung two minutes before proceedings are to restart. Members should wait outside of the Chamber until the bell is rung. Thank you.

Plenary was suspended at 17:09.

The Senedd reconvened at 17:15, with the Deputy Presiding Officer in the Chair.